Authentic 4-Ingredient Irish Bread (Printable Version)
Rustic Irish soda bread with golden crust and tender crumb made from four simple ingredients.
# What You'll Need:
→ Dry Ingredients
01 - 4 cups all-purpose flour
02 - 1 teaspoon baking soda
03 - 1 teaspoon fine sea salt
→ Wet Ingredient
04 - 1 3/4 cups buttermilk
# How to Make It:
01 - Preheat oven to 425°F. Line baking sheet with parchment paper or dust lightly with flour.
02 - Whisk flour, baking soda, and salt in large mixing bowl until evenly distributed.
03 - Create well in center of dry ingredients. Pour buttermilk into well. Stir with wooden spoon until shaggy dough forms.
04 - Turn dough onto floured surface. Knead gently just until dough holds together. Shape into round, slightly flattened loaf approximately 2 inches thick. Place on prepared baking sheet.
05 - Cut deep X across top of loaf with sharp knife. Bake 30-35 minutes until golden brown and loaf sounds hollow when tapped on bottom.
06 - Transfer bread to wire rack. Cool minimum 30 minutes before slicing to ensure proper texture.
# Expert Tips:
01 -
- Four basic ingredients that you probably already have in your kitchen right now
- From mixing bowl to warm bread in under an hour—it's practically instant gratification
02 -
- Overworking the dough makes it tough, so resist the urge to knead it like regular bread
- The X cut isn't decorative—it helps the bread bake evenly and expand properly in the oven
03 -
- A hot oven is non-negotiable—that initial blast of heat creates the crust that holds everything together
- The hollow sound when you tap the bottom is your real doneness indicator, not just the clock